High School Students Serve With An Eternal Perspective

 

Five ordinary high school students, Kale (17), Luke (16), Jesse (17), Susie (14), and Kylie 17), share their insights on serving in the church. Read the following interview to learn what these teens had to say about volunteering their time and talents to further the kingdom of God. High school students, check out how your peers are spending their free time, and prayerfully consider joining them! Adults, get ready to be inspired and challenged by the self-sacrificing attitudes of these teens, who truly illustrate what it means to have a servant’s heart.

 

How do you serve in the church every week?

 

I’m either serving on the youth worship team, adult worship team, or in the sound booth. I’m also setting up when I’m not doing anything else. –Kale

 

Mainly I do whatever needs to be done, whether it’s setting up the chairs, setting up the instruments, or cleaning up. When I’m not doing those things, I play or pray with the worship team. –Luke

 

I set up chairs and volunteer as a media tech, which basically means I’m in charge of the words for worship. –Jesse

 

We volunteer in the nursery every Sunday morning and take care of the babies. –Susie and Kylie

 

Is it just a lot of tedious work, or do you enjoy it?

 

It is tedious, but when you’re accomplishing the goal of bringing people to Christ, it becomes enjoyable. –Kale

 

I absolutely enjoy it. Sometimes it’s hard to get into the right spirit of worship when I’m serving, but I always seek to find the right attitude. –Luke

 

I enjoy coming to church to do the Lord’s work alongside my friends. –Jesse

 

I like serving in way that uses my gifts. –Susie

 

I like knowing the parents can sit through an entire service on Sunday without the distraction of their young children. –Kylie

 

Wouldn’t you rather spend your free time relaxing and hanging out with friends? Why do you sacrifice your time every week to serve?

 

There’s a time for that. It’s better to be at church serving, because that’s my calling. It’s more of a calling than just serving for the sake of serving. I sacrifice my time every week because this is what I do for God. –Kale

 

Well sometimes fellowship is a part of serving, which is fun and draws you closer to Christ. I wouldn’t call it a sacrifice. This is my life. This should be my life. – Luke

 

Sometimes, but serving in the Youth Group every week has become a habit, and it is a good habit. Even if all my friends weren’t there, I’d still be there every week to serve. –Jesse

 

 

No. I would rather serve God than have a couple extra hours of free time every week. That’s why we’re here, isn’t it? –Susie

 

No, because serving God is way more important. –Kylie

 

Is it worth it to you?

 

Yes, because through serving you developing a lot of relationships and draw closer to God. –Kale

 

It’s all for the One I love, so yes, it is definitely worth it. –Luke

 

Yes. The work needs to be done so that Youth Group can meet every week, and someone has to do it. –Jesse

 

Yes, because in this life on earth, we are storing gifts in Heaven. –Susie

 

Yes. This is just a small way I can give back to God. –Kylie

 

What does serving mean to you?

 

Sacrificing your time to give God glory. –Kale

 

Going where God is calling you to go. –Luke

 

Working for God to the best of your abilities. –Jesse

 

Giving your time and effort to please God. –Susie

 

What Susie said. –Kylie

 

What verses in the Bible specifically influenced your view on serving?

 

Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” –Kale

 

1 Corinthians 12:13-14, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” –Luke

 

Joshua 22:5, “…serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” –Jesse

 

Matthew 6:19-20, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” –Susie

 

Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” –Kylie

 

How has serving impacted your walk with God?

 

There have been more trials since I started serving; life has been harder. It’s easier to slack off, but one day of seeing people come closer to God makes it all worth it. –Kale

 

It has overall strengthened my walk, as we (the other people I serve with) mutually encourage each other’s faith when we work together. –Luke

 

It has made my relationship with God stronger, because if I wasn’t here serving, I wouldn’t be glorifying God. –Jesse

 

It’s helped me not to be so self-centered. By serving others, I’m more focused on the Lord. –Susie

 

It’s made me realize I should be living my life for God and not for myself. –Kylie

 

What would you say to someone considering volunteering some of his or her time to serve in the church?

 

Do it if you want to. Don’t force yourself or burden yourself with serving because someone told you to. Do it because you want to serve God and strengthen your relationship with Him. –Kale

 

Absolutely do it! Even if the idea of serving is new for you, go where God leads. –Luke

 

Be ready to work for the Lord. When you face obstacles, trust in Him. –Jesse

 

Choose a ministry that you enjoy and have a gift for. Do your job whole-heartedly. –Susie

 

Don’t do it just because you want others to see you doing it. Follow God’s calling. -Kylie